


Time in a Bottle

by teamaequitas



Category: X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Charles is a flirt, Cherik - Freeform, Erik is a grumpy shark husband, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-02-15 12:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2229543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamaequitas/pseuds/teamaequitas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set post-DOFP in 1975 where Erik has come back to live with Charles and help with the school. One day they get an unexpected visitor from an unexpected time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time in a Bottle

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my lovely Rachel who is my bae and my main Erik (metalkinetica) because it is her birthday! So happy birthday, love, and enjoy some Cherik fluff! *U*

Charles had felt something in the air that morning as he awoke, something _off_. Although everything seemed normal, the soft morning light of autumn still streamed through the high windows of his bedroom, Erik still rested warmly beside him, and he could hear the usual stirrings of groggy children’s minds beginning rouse about the manor. But there was a certain strangeness in the air.

“I can’t explain it,” Charles said to Erik as they dressed for the day. “Maybe it’s my telepathy, or empathy, I don’t know…but I feel like something is going to happen today.”

Charles saw a look of concern cross Erik’s face, felt his mind tense, and Charles immediately sought to ease it.

 _But it doesn’t feel threatening_ , he soothed telepathically. _I don’t think there’s any danger from it_.

Erik believed him, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t be on his guard all day anyway.

The day continued as normal. Breakfast was served, Charles and Erik and the other staff members taught their usual classes, homework was assigned, and classes were dismissed at 3:30 p.m. like any normal day. It wasn’t until after five o’clock that evening that Charles knew the _something_ that he’d felt all day, whatever it was, was about to happen.

“Would you accompany me to the court yard, darling?” Charles asked Erik, a sweet, soft smile on his face. Erik, of course, agreed with a small nod and took Charles’ offered hand.

They made their way outside, Erik using his powers to gently wheel Charles alongside him, their fingers intertwined. The sun was getting lower in the sky, enveloping the manor in a soft orange, as the couple strolled through the opulent gardens and fountains around them.

“Is it going to happen here?” Erik asked, though he wasn’t sure what ‘it’ was. Charles nodded, giving his lover’s hand a light squeeze.

“I believe so, yes.” And, as if in response to his answer, a low rumble began to fill the air and a bright, nearly blinding, flash of green split the space a few feet in front of them.

Erik reacted immediately, pushing Charles back and tucking his head against his chest so he could cover him with his body like a shield, his most basic instincts screaming at him to _protect Charles_. But the rumbling and the flashing were gone within moments of their arrival and the sound of someone groaning had Charles politely squirming from Erik’s grip to see behind him. Erik moved, finally, and the two were able to see that whatever that odd flash was, it brought someone with it.

He was an older looking gentleman with grey hair and now-broken spectacles, sprawled on the ground and groaning as he sat up, holding his head. Suddenly his head jerked towards Charles and Erik could tell by the concentrated look on Charles’ face that the two of them were communicating telepathically. A couple moments of torturous silence passed before Erik grew impatient.

“Charles?” Erik asked, still on edge. The older man seemed harmless enough, but Erik knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving. He needed to know whether or not he needed to act on this intruder.

Charles blinked a couple of times, pulling away from the silent conversation with the stranger, before covering his hand over the one that Erik had protectively resting on Charles’ shoulder.

“I…I’m terribly sorry, love, but you’re not going to believe this,” Charles said, looking up to Erik with an astonished smile. The older man slowly got to his feet, brushing off his grey suit, his eyes flicking between Charles and Erik.

“Erik Lehnsherr,” Charles said with an amused tone, looking between his Erik and the older gentleman. “I’d like you to meet Erik Lehnsherr, age 83.”

Erik tilted his head down to look at Charles as if he’d gone mad. “…Excuse me?”

“It’s quite amazing, actually,” Charles continued. “He’s traveled here from the year 2014. He says a mutant must have sent him back on accident, one of our students.”

Erik shook his head. “That’s impossible. It’s a trick, Charles.”

Charles cocked his eyebrow at Erik with an incredulous look. “Not even two years ago we _met_ a man from the future.” _And as if someone could trick me, Erik. He opened his mind completely to me. He’s you. I’d know your mind anywhere, love, trust me._

Erik opened his mouth to argue, but ended up closing it. He never really believed that man – Logan, was it? - all that much, but he couldn’t argue that Charles would know a trick if it were one. Uncomfortable as he was, he had to trust Charles. “Fine,” Erik settled, eying his older self carefully. He supposed he saw a resemblance. Sort of.

The older Erik chuckled, brushing off the dirt from his palms as he approached Charles and his younger self, noting amusedly that the younger Erik protectively moved Charles back a few inches. “I must say, this is fascinating. I was standing right here in the courtyard when the girl sent me back. An accident, I’m sure,” the older man explained, flashing a smile at Charles that nearly had the telepath flushing. “I hate to impose, _liebling_ , but do yo--”

“Don’t call him that!” The younger Erik seethed the interruption through his teeth, earning a chastising ‘ _Erik_ ’ from Charles and nothing but an amused chuckle from the older man.

“Oh, Erik,” the older gentleman laughed, mirth bright in his eyes. “Do you think you’ll ever stop calling him that, even forty years from now?”

“I--” the younger man’s jaw set in a hard line and he shook his head once before mumbling a tight ‘ _Nein_.’

Charles shook his head with a roll of his eyes and turned his attention back to the older Erik who was clearly amused by his younger counterpart’s stubbornness. “It’s not imposing at all. Of course you can stay with us until we figure things out. This is still technically your home, too, after all. I’m sure Hank would be willing to help us.” Charles moved the control stick of his wheelchair in an attempt to turn it around and head back to the mansion, only to have it whir in protest. “ _Erik_ ,” Charles sighed.

“Sorry,” he mumbled in return after a moment, releasing his subconscious kinetic hold on the chair. The three of them walked into the mansion and then to Charles’ study in hopes to not arouse suspicion from the students quite yet.

When they made it to the study, the older Erik gladly took a seat in a large lounge chair. Charles rolled himself next to a chair across from it, expecting his Erik to take the seat next to him. Instead, Erik remained standing vigilantly at his side, a protective hand on Charles’ shoulder.

_Don’t you want to sit down?_

_I’ll stand, thanks._

Charles shook his head again, both endeared and annoyed by his love’s stubbornness to accept that the elder gentleman before them was, in fact, _himself_ in forty years.

The older Erik ran a hand through his silver hair with a sigh, looking about the room. “Not a lot’s changed, really,” he mused with a small smile. “We get some new additions to the manor to make room for more students, upgrades with technology as it advances, but much of this is still the same.” The look on his face is admiring and curious, and Charles catches a glimpse of the elder’s thoughts about wishing _his_ Charles was here to see this. The man’s left hand came up to scratch at the grey scruff on his chin and Charles got a good look at the silver band on his ring finger.

He’d noticed it earlier, seen the man’s memories of marriage when they first encountered, but he couldn’t help but smile at it now. “How many years has it been?” Charles asked, itching to ask about his and Erik’s future despite his better judgment. He felt Erik’s hand tighten on his shoulder slightly and he sent a wave of affection towards him. He knew Erik must have noticed it too. He always knew where all the metal in the room was.

“Fifteen years, next June,” the eldest Erik smiled warmly. Charles blushed slightly at the thought that someday he and Erik would share those lovely rings in marriage.

“How?” Erik asked, incredulous. “Charles, I thought you said--”

“I know,” Charles interrupted. “When I looked into Logan’s mind, our future selves were indeed married, but it’d taken America ‘til around the year _you_ come from to allow marriage equality,” he said with a gesture towards the older man, who only cocked his head curiously. “Apparently, from what I’ve seen of this Erik’s memories, when Raven chose _not_ to kill Trask, mutants became more and more accepted in society, as well as same-sex couples. Marriages for them were fully legalized in 1990,” Charles explained, a happy smile on his face.

“And I proposed to you the day it was announced,” the elder said with a proud grin. “Married you a month later.”

“And you made the bands?” Charles asked, blushing, though he knew the answer.

“Naturally,” the older man smiled back, his eyes glinting brightly.

Charles could feel Erik tensing next to him and he looked up to his love curiously. _Do you still not trust him?_ he asked mentally, sending gentle waves of tranquility towards him.

 _No, I just…I don’t know_ , Erik nearly sighed. _It’s a lot to believe._

The older Erik chuckled, bringing his younger counterparts back from their silent conversation. “Do you _still_ need more convincing that I’m you, boy?” he asked and Charles could feel Erik’s desire to bark at being called ‘boy’.

 _Calm_ , came his singular command and Erik relaxed only slightly.

“Maybe,” Erik challenged, his jaw setting. The older Erik lifted his chin slightly to meet the younger’s gaze, eyes darkening as he accepted the unspoken challenge. Charles felt his heart flutter in his chest.

“Would you like me to tell you about the first time you realized you were in love with Charles Xavier?” Charles felt Erik freeze beside him. “The day he pulled those memories of Mama out. The day you moved the satellite together.”

The younger shook his head, “Charles and I were--”

“Fucking each other long before that?” the older man finished for him coolly. “Yes, I know. But I said the first time you realized you were in love, not the first time you fucked. Though I could recount that night with vivid detail as well, if you’d like…”

Charles had to bite his cheek to keep from snickering, his eyes dancing with glee as they flicked between the two Eriks. His Erik shook his head before hanging it in defeat and letting out a sigh. “I just…need some time to process this.”

Charles’ expression softened and he took Erik’s hand, looking up at him. “Why don’t you go for your evening run, darling? Clear your head.”

“And leave you alone with _him_?” Erik asked dubiously.

The other Erik scoffed from his spot across from them. “You really don’t trust Charles with me?”

“Would you with your Charles?” Erik challenged back, a shocked expression crossing his face when his older counterpart only laughed aloud.

“Charles Xavier never has and never will need our protection, Erik,” the older man said boisterously. Charles turned a quietly smug smile up to his Erik, quirking an eyebrow at him. Erik finally let out a long-suffering sigh and shook his head in defeat. Charles tried his best not to chuckle at how adorably pathetic he looked.

“Fine. I’m going for my run,” the magnetist grumbled.

“We’ll be here,” Charles assured him with a triumphant smile, tilting his head up to meet Erik as he bent down to give Charles a chaste kiss. “Be safe,” the telepath murmured against his lips, patting the other man’s chest lightly.

“ _You_ be safe,” Erik mumbled back, shooting another glare at the elder Erik who offered him only a smirk. Charles only rolled his eyes. Did Erik really expect the older man to be jealous of their tiny show of affection? The man across from them had literally been kissing Charles for forty more years than his Erik. Or perhaps the glare was only a warning. Either way, his lover was being ridiculous.

When Erik finally left the room Charles sighed, shaking his head until he heard the older Erik’s chuckles and lifted his head to meet his eyes.

“How you manage to put up with my stubbornness so gracefully every day is beyond me, my dear,” the older man said, his face bright with a smile that made Charles’ stomach do flips.

“I only love you all the more for it,” Charles said almost shyly, running a hand through his hair.

“I know,” the other man mused warmly, and Charles could feel his eyes watching him closely. He tried his best not to blush under the man’s scrutiny, but it was hard. Erik aged _well_. His full head of gorgeous silver hair made Charles itch to run his hands through it, his jaw still so strong, his eyes bright and wise, it was all enough to make Charles marvel at the fact that he got to be _married_ to this beautiful man.

“So, I see in your future I still lose all my hair,” Charles said with a small laugh, only a slight twinge of disappointment to his voice.

“Yes,” Erik chuckled. “But you wear it well. And you don’t start going bald ‘til about your late 50s. So you still have a good twenty years left with those beautiful locks of yours.”

Charles laughed before nibbling at his lower lip, reddening it more as he wheeled his chair to sit directly in front of Erik, their legs brushing against each other. His eyes glinted with playfulness now. “Not fair that you get to age so well,” Charles said with a sly smile, his eyes raking over the other man, very clearly checking him out. “You are still so _very_ handsome, Erik.”

“Charles Francis Xavier,” Erik smirked, leaning forward slightly. “Are you _flirting_ with me?”

“Maybe just a little,” Charles mused, lifting his eyebrow playfully. “But I think you’ve been married to me long enough to know.”

The older man chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling, and sending heat throughout Charles’ body. He shook his head slowly as his eyes took in Charles, clearly enjoying seeing his love so youthful again. “ _Mein Gott_. Why I spent so many years denying myself of you, Charles, I will never know,” the elder murmured, a sinful half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he leaned in close enough that Charles could feel his warm breath ghosting across face. “I should have been fucking you every second I had the chance.”

Charles let himself laugh lightly, but kept his tone low and flirtatious, eyes becoming heavily lidded. “Don’t worry,” he started, leaning in closer still to the silver-haired man so there were barely inches between their faces. “You’ve been doing an excellent job making up for lost time so far.”

“Oh, I remember,” Erik said with an amused smile. Unable to resist his youthful love’s advances, Erik leaned in the rest of the way, pressing his lips to Charles’ in a soft kiss.

Charles immediately eagerly pressed himself into it, lifting his hands to run over the scruff of his older Erik’s cheeks and then into his hair, satisfying his curiosities of how soft it was. When he felt Erik’s warm tongue slide along the seam of his lips, Charles gasped to open his mouth for him. An unholy moan escaped the back of the telepath’s throat, marveling at how this Erik tasted and felt exactly the same, knew exactly the way he liked to be kissed.

Charles was quickly becoming more eager, his mouth sucking and licking at the older man’s, deep moans coming from him with more fervor. He was about ready to haul himself into Erik’s lap when the elder stopped him, putting a gentle hand on his love’s chest and pushing lightly to break the kiss, despite Charles’ soft whine of protest.

“Charles Xavier,” Erik hummed, clucking his tongue at him teasingly as shook his head slightly. “As much as I enjoyed that, I doubt very seriously your Erik would approve.”

“Why?” Charles asked, slightly breathless, as his hands came to cup the other’s face, admiring his grey eyes. “You _are_ my Erik. And apparently my husband. It’s not like I’m cheating.”

“I don’t disagree with you, my love,” Erik murmured, a smile playing at his lips as he raised an eyebrow at Charles, the space between their faces still quite limited. “But I’ve a feeling if he were to walk in right now, he wouldn’t exactly be _pleased_.”

Charles sighed, his thumb moving to run over Erik’s lower lip in admiration before his hands dropped to his lap. “You’re right,” Charles said with a sheepish smile. At least he’d gotten to steal one hell of a kiss. “Sorry.”

Erik chuckled again, brushing his hand through Charles’ hair and pressing a kiss to his forehead before he sat back in his chair with a deep breath. “You’ve no need to apologize to me, _liebling_. _You_ are the greatest love of my entire existence, whether you’re 37 or 77.” His eyes still danced with heat from their encounter as he looked over Charles in appreciation and adoration as he pushed a hand through his own grey hair. “And so you need never apologize for a kiss like _that_ ,” he said with a wink.

Charles smiled, his entire chest warming at the older man’s sentiments before he finally wheeled back a couple of inches to give them a little more space, in case his Erik _did_ return. “So,” Charles started again, meeting Erik’s eyes. “I probably shouldn’t ask you too much about the future, right?”

Erik shrugged, waving an indifferent hand. “Perhaps not,” he said simply. “But I trust your judgment, so fire away, love.”

Charles let a devilish smile cross his face as he gazed at Erik. “Are you and I still able to…be _intimate_ in your time?” he asked with a grin, though he was genuinely curious as to how long he and Erik would be able to keep up with their libidos.

Erik laughed deeply, head falling back freely at the question, though not in a way that embarrassed or offended Charles. “Yes, _liebling_ ,” he said finally, amusement bright in his eyes. “You and I are still quite ‘intimate’, as you put it. Though, admittedly, not with quite as much vigor as when we were young,” he shrugged. Charles accepted that answer happily and moved on.

“Any big fights I should know about or try to avoid?” came his next question. Erik thought for a moment before shaking his head.

“None that I wouldn’t want you to experience. None that won’t ultimately bring you closer together,” Erik stated surely and Charles couldn’t help but smile. “Although…,” Erik started again, tapping his finger to his chin pensively. “The summer of ’96, Hank McCoy nearly burns down half the mansion while experimenting in the lab. So, if you want to avoid the rather costly repairs, be wary of his attempts to design new serums to help control fire mutations.”

Charles laughed heartily at that and nodded his head. “I’ll try to remember that,” he grinned, before his eyebrows quirked up in recognition. “Oh, speaking of Hank, we should go see him,” Charles said, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Surely he’ll be able to help us get you back to your time somehow. I’m sure I’m worried sick about you,” he chuckled with a wink, though he was rather serious.

Erik smiled, nodding in agreement, and Charles briefly caught a thought of ‘… _probably already tore apart half of New York looking for me_ ’ from the older man. The telepath couldn’t help but smile and think that, yes, he probably has.

When they found Hank and explained what had happened, the young man was both amazed and eager to help. They worked for a while before Charles decided that rest would do everyone some good and they could approach the problem at hand with fresh minds in the morning. Hank retired to his room and Charles offered to see Erik to the room he could use. It was the one that had been Erik’s (mostly as just a formality since most his nights were spent in Charles’ room) back in ’62.

Charles affectionately slipped his hand into Erik’s as they made their way through the mansion, enjoying the warm firmness and familiarity of it. Charles honestly would prefer that the elder Erik sleep with them in his bed - he couldn’t think of a night better spent than in the arms of _two_ Eriks - but he highly doubted his younger Erik would allow that. So, instead, Charles showed the older man to his room, making light conversation about the plans discussed with Hank as his thumb subconsciously ran over the ring on Erik’s finger.

“Well, here we are,” Charles stated with a small smile upwards to Erik. “I hope you find everything to be comfortable.” _I’m sorry you have to sleep alone_ , went the unspoken sentiment and Charles wondered briefly when the last time this Erik had slept without him was.

Erik squeezed the telepath’s hand gently in response. “I’ll be just fine, _liebling_ , thank you,” he smiled.

Charles squeezed back before using his free hand to tap the side of his temple lightly. “Let me know if you need anything,” he accompanied the gesture.

“I shall,” Erik chuckled, bringing Charles’ hand up to kiss his knuckles warmly. “Goodnight, Charles.”

“Goodnight, Erik,” Charles blushed. It appeared every version of Erik had the ability to make his heart flutter in his chest. “I love you.”

He’d said the phrase unthinkingly, almost out of habit: this was _Erik_ , and he and Erik always said they loved each other before going to sleep. So saying it to him didn’t feel wrong or out of place, and he’d meant it. He loved Erik, at every age.

The older man only smiled affectionately in response, releasing Charles’ hand in favor of lightly tracing the side of the telepath’s face with the backs of his fingers. “And I, you. Now get some sleep, love.”

Charles wheeled his way back to his own bedroom, finding the room to be warm with recently released steam from the adjoining bathroom and filled with the manly scent of Erik’s aftershave. The bathroom door was open and Charles leaned a bit to peek at Erik who was brushing his teeth at the sink, clad in only a white towel wrapped around his waist.

Charles let out a long wolf whistle, chuckling to himself, and he could feel Erik’s amusement as well. The metal bender rinsed his mouth before walking out to greet Charles with a smirk on his face. “Like what you see?” he asked smugly.

“As always,” Charles hummed happily, lifting his head to meet Erik’s lips in a kiss. “How was your run?”

“ _Gut_.”

As they dressed for bed, Charles explained that they’d gone to see Hank to discuss plans for getting the older Erik back to his time and the possibilities of Charles’ older self getting Erik back before they even did due to his more advanced technology.

They crawled into bed, Charles taking his usual position under Erik’s arm and happily snuggling into his warm chest as their breathing evened out. After a moment, Charles turned in Erik’s arms a bit to look at him with a smug smile.

“You know, darling,” the telepath started. “I must say, you age _quite_ well.” He chuckled, finding nothing but amusement in Erik’s resulting huff and eye roll. The other man mumbled something in annoyed German and Charles could only pick up on the hint of jealousy the words held.

“Don’t be jealous of yourself, Erik, that’s ridiculous,” Charles reminded him with a soft laugh, lightly swatting his chest. Erik caught his hand, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss Charles’ fingertips.

“Only jealous that he’s had far more time with you than I have,” Erik murmured warmly and Charles felt his chest swell.

“Oh, Erik,” Charles smiled, eyes bright with emotion as he leaned in to kiss his silly love tenderly. “I love you.”

“And I, you,” Erik said, releasing Charles’ hand to run the backs of his fingers along the younger’s cheek. The exact familiarity of the moment was enough to make Charles want to laugh and cry and explode with emotion all at once.

He settled, however, for simply pulling Erik in for another long, deep kiss goodnight, which turned into another kiss, and then another, until they were both heated enough to know that sleep was at least a good hour away for them. Charles accepted the intimacy gladly, his heart full of warmth and love and hope for his and Erik’s future together.


End file.
